Israel’s first ambassador to Somaliland presents credentials in Hargeisa
Israel expands ties with the breakaway territory as Somalia challenges its motives and war intensifies in Yemen.
Israel’s first ambassador to Somaliland has presented his credentials to the breakaway territory’s president, who formally accepted them at a ceremony in Hargeisa, where officials also laid the cornerstone for an Israeli embassy.
The move puts into practice an agreement reached on December 26, 2025, when Israel became the first United Nations member state to recognise Somaliland, It declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but remains claimed by Mogadishu.
Describing it as a “historical day,” President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, said during the ceremony that it was the first time a Somaliland president had received the credentials of an ambassador from a UN member state recognising its independence.
“Given our strategic position around the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, our cooperation carries important regional and international significance. Let me reaffirm that Somaliland approaches this relationship with genuine strategic commitment and a long-term perspective,” he said.